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Colette
Where? Among the fabulous designer shops on rue Saint-Honore in Paris you'll find fashion emporium Colette, home to hard-to-find fashion and anything hip.
Why? Since opening in 1997, Colette has reinvented the concept of retailing by housing fashion, homeware, culture, art and food under one roof. It's also known for its ultra-creative window displays and merchandising, while the art gallery houses a new exhibition each month.
What can we expect? Spanning three levels and more than 700 square metres, the Colette experience includes an assortment of hi-tech gadgets and deluxe jewellery, a specialist music and DVD library, a rare book and magazine collection, a second-to-none beauty counter and superbly chic fashion labels.
Fashion finds: For women, labels include Marc Jacobs, Libertine, Proenza Schouler, Jeremy Scott, Azzedine Alaia, Slab de Rick Owens and Rogan Jeans. Boys will be happy with Hussein Chalayan, Viktor & Rolf, Comme des Garcons, Prada, Jil Sander and Umbro by Kim Jones.
Extras: A wall of iPods for music buffs
and a bar that stocks numerous labels of designer water. You can also buy one of their specially mixed CDs of chilled-out tunes (think Buddha Bar meets fashion week). Don't forget to say hello to the store's mascot, Oscar, a chocolate-brown Labrador that has been guarding the place since it opened.
